


The Butterfly Effect

by koeia



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Family Dynamics, Gen, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27608942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koeia/pseuds/koeia
Summary: Elicia Hughes is the same age as Selim Bradley.Somehow, this changes everything.(A cynical homunculus befriends an optimistic cryptologist.)((The Homunculi get found family’d through the power of friendship!!  And incredible violence.))
Relationships: Elicia Hughes & Gracia Hughes & Maes Hughes, Elicia Hughes & Pride (Selim Bradley), Envy & Pride (Selim Bradley), Father & Homunculi (Fullmetal Alchemist), Gluttony & Pride (Selim Bradley), Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes, Greed & Pride (Selim Bradley), Lust & Pride (Selim Bradley), Mrs. Bradley & Pride (Selim Bradley), Wrath | King Bradley & Pride | Selim Bradley (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 47





	1. The Cryptologist and the Amaranthine!

Elicia Hughes is exceptionally average. 

Well, not if you asked her _dad,_ of course. But to everyone else, she was just Maes Hughes’s daughter. Nothing particularly noteworthy there. 

That was just how Elicia liked to keep it. Because it was true, mostly. She was average. She just _happened_ to have an above average father. One who was in charge of Investigations for the military, coincidentally! Who she’d _happened_ to people watch with a lot from the time she was young. Who _happened_ to have a tradition of devising a code on Sundays that, if she cracked within a day, meant she got to pick dessert that night. 

Which, if one had ever had her mom’s apple pie, they would know was an _excellent_ incentive. 

So, yeah, Elicia was an average girl who had _stumbled_ into being taught how to break codes and read people. Not that anyone other than her dad knew that. 

“Mama! Mama, can we go to the library?” An eight year old Elicia asked. “I wanna grab some books for the weekend! Please?” 

“Alright,” Gracia laughed, midway through folding a towel. “Give me a minute, okay?” 

“Okay!” Elicia rocked from the balls of her feet to her heels while she stood by the door, a bag over her shoulder for books. “Do you think that Daddy is gonna be home in time for dinner tonight?” 

“I hope so! He _has_ been working awfully late recently, but I’m sure he’ll do his best!” Gracia grabbed a bag as she finished talking and smiled down at her daughter. “Ready to go?” 

“Yeah!” 

It wasn’t long until they were at the library. Gracia immediately went to the fantasy section for herself before pausing to look down at Elicia again. 

“Remember, _only five books this time._ You can’t check out all eight books my library card allows, okay? Leave some for me, too. And please, try to be done here in forty-five minutes?” 

“But – but Mama, how am I supposed to –”

_“Five books.”_

“Okay,” Elicia pouted. “And one hour in the library.” 

“Alright, but your timer starts _now –”_

_“Awesomeloveyouokaybye!”_

Elicia took off, bounding through the fiction section of the library before landing in front of her favorite place in the world – the cryptology aisle. 

There was nothing Elicia loved more than codes. Well, except for her parents. But she _loved_ codes. They were like little puzzles, rules-and-logic-and-math all wrapped up in language, where there’s a correct answer without being a _right_ answer, where there’s objective truth without the messy philosophy that was wrapped in alchemy and other sciences. 

She reached for a book she hadn’t seen before – a thick red tome, just a bit out of reach, and –

“Who’re you? I haven’t seen you around here before!” 

With a small cry, Elicia fell backward from where she’d just begun to climb the shelf. “Ouch,” she rubbed her head as she tried to get her bearings. 

“Oh no! Are you okay?” The voice – a boy, probably around her age from the tone – was closer. Now she could see a person. He looked familiar, somehow. He offered her a hand. 

She didn’t take it, instead pulling herself to her feet. There was something off about the way he held himself. Nothing immediately alarming, of course, but – 

  * _Being in the cryptology aisle was, itself, suspicious. Even Elicia knew that._


  * _His posture was way too relaxed for a normal little kid._


  * _His posture was way too formal for a normal little kid. Somehow. At the same time as being relaxed (?)_
  * _His expression. Despite the concerned look, it was full of..._



“...Pride.” The word slipped out before Elicia realized it – luckily the _only_ word that slipped out. “Oh, what am I even saying, I don’t know what that even _meant,_ I’m very sorry! Uh, hi? I’m – uh, I’m Elicia! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” 

“I’m Selim! It’s nice to meet you too!” 

“Okay...look, I don’t know who you are or – or what you want here? But I’ll drop the cheerful little kid act if you will?” Elicia glanced down and kicked her left foot on the back of her right. “Both of us would benefit from not lying to each other.” 

“How did you know?” Selim raised an eyebrow, his entire demeanor shifting. 

“Your posture gave it away, mostly. I don’t know who or – or what you are. But I don’t think you’re a kid like me. You don’t look like you’re from this time. You look like – like you were cut out of an old picture and pasted here.” 

“Well aren’t you clever?” Selim leered. “I’ll be sure to work on that in the future.” 

“What do you want? And _how_ are you here?” Elicia didn’t take a step away, instead meeting his gaze. Running would likely cause him to _want_ to give chase, and he felt dangerous enough that Elicia knew she would lose. Standing her ground may pique his interest, which was the best she could hope for. 

“I am one, and I am many,” Selim stepped closer to her, something lashing behind him – _his shadow(?)_ – as he drew closer. “I am everywhere, and I am here. Who do you think you are, to question me like this?” 

“I figure if I run I’m probably not gonna make it, so I may as well get some answers. I’m probably not gonna make it either way, honestly, and while that scares me a little, I figure I should make it interesting so at least one of us enjoys it? That way it’s not a net loss. Or at least not as much of a loss. Besides, you’re kinda like a code, y’know? A layered super-code! You peel back surface level Selim and there’s just another Selim underneath! And I’m curious. I love codes. They make sense. People...don’t.” 

“Butterflies are attracted to light. Oftentimes, when they’re attracted to a fire, it kills them. Curiosity isn’t always worth it.” Selim took a step back, looking at Elicia again. “I’ll let you live. For now. But if you tell anyone about me, I’ll kill both you and them. But for now...this could be interesting.” 

Elicia let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. 

_Geez, that was stressful. Okay, now to gracefully maneuver your way into a friendship with this guy, because he’s never gonna leave you alone probably and he’s gonna suck as an enemy. That’s...doable. For sure. Totally._

“Butterflies are oftentimes poisonous, y’know? If you eat them, you get sick!” Elicia gave a smile. “Be careful. Fire may be dangerous to butterflies, but that doesn’t mean butterflies aren’t dangerous to hypothetical predators.” 

_Elicia. You_ dummy. _That's not befriending him!_

“The common green birdwing, also known as Ornithoptera priamus, is named for Priam. Do you know who that is?” Selim picked the red book that Elicia had been looking at earlier from behind her, starting to flip through the pages. 

“No...?” 

“He’s a king from Xerxian myth. Not that you’d know that, of course. His son died during a terrible war. He’s killed by the opposing army, you see, and they treat the body really poorly. They disrespect tradition and it more than likely threatens his place in the afterlife. Priam pleads with the opposing army and gets his son back. He does manage that, and gives him a proper burial. But then he is later killed by that same army when they return to sack his home. Just because someone is granted mercy once does not mean they will be granted mercy again.” 

“Well, I mean, they still granted him that first mercy, right?” Elicia sat down, grabbing a book from near ground level and fiddling with the pages. “It sucks that they treated his son’s body bad, and that they killed him anyway. But they still let him give his son a proper burial, and that kindness wasn’t for nothing. Maybe Pyrrhus –”

“Priam, not Pyrrhus, two totally separate people from history,” Selim rolled his eyes. 

“Right, Priam, maybe he was able to die happy? Because he knew he’d be with his son again, and they’d both get to explore the afterlife together. Personally I think it would suck – the afterlife would be _boring._ Perfection all the time? Everything you’ve ever wanted at your fingertips. No way! It’s much better to find what you want, and chase after it. It’s more fun that way.” 

“So if you had immortality, what would you do with it?” 

“I’d pull off the _perfect_ scheme,” Elicia grinned at Selim, who had sat beside her. “And I mean perfect. The perfect code, the perfect spy, the perfect alibi – maybe I’d try to single handedly steal the whole world out from underneath humanity! That could be fun. Then I could fix things. Institute the right kind of government, make sure that stuff like Ishval doesn’t happen again, dump power on the people I trust like Mama or Daddy and then disappear into the sunset like some kind of cool book character!” 

“So you’d take power just for the fun of taking it...and then leave.” 

“Yep! Doesn’t it sound perfectly baffling? I’d get to confuse _everybody!”_ Elicia giggled. “How about you?” She paused for a moment. “Well. You seem to be immortal, from what you implied? So. Since you inevitably plan on killing me anyway, why not tell me what you’re doing with your eternal life? Or at least _extended_ life. How do you stay interested?” 

“I read. And I play piano. Despite what one may think, it’s _always_ possible to get better at that kind of thing.” 

“If you wouldn’t mind – and if you would I _really_ don’t have to – I’d love to hear you play?” Elicia played with the edge of her book. “I’d love to learn, but I’ve never wanted to ask and don’t know how to start. So it would be kinda cool to see someone else do it who’s really _really_ good, and you must be.” 

“Tomorrow. Come to my house. If you don’t, I’ll kill you.” 

“But – but what if my Mama says no? And where do you even live?” 

“Make her say yes. And I’m _Selim Bradley,_ where do you _think_ I live?” Something flicked the back of Elicia’s head. She was _fairly_ sure it was her own shadow. _Betrayer._

“It doesn’t work tha– you’re _Selim Bradley!?”_

“Who did you _think_ I was?” 

“I don’t know!” 

Selim let out a deep sigh. 

“Tomorrow. My house. _Be there._ If you aren’t, I’ll kill you.” 

“O-Okay!” 

The next day, she showed up to his house, and they had – well not _fun,_ tag with Selim is never really _fun,_ but something close to it. And he really _was_ excellent at playing the piano. 

“I won’t kill you today. Come back tomorrow.” 

She did. And she kept coming back, day after day, for two years. 

And then the news about Liore came back, and Selim remembered what was happening in the next year. 

_Well._ That _won’t do at all._


	2. Whatever The Hell I Want

It was toward the end of Elicia’s next visit that Selim brought it up. They were playing chess – Elicia was winning, _ for once  _ – so it was about time for Selim to bring up some crazy scheme. 

“How do you feel about overthrowing the government with me?” He asked absently, as if he hadn’t been building to the question all day. “Your perfect scheme? You must have  _ some  _ ideas.” 

“Oh, I have lots!” Elicia bit her bottom lip, narrowing her eyes at the board before moving one of her knights. “Even if I  _ do  _ have plans, it’s totally gonna ruin my entire schedule. I don’t wanna take over the country until  _ after  _ Mustang’s stint as Führer, you know that. He’ll be a pain in the butt to get around otherwise! Oh, and you also know I need to go to school five days a week. I don’t have time to overthrow the government right now. Maybe over the summer? Could be a fun project.” 

“I don’t know why you put up with school,” Selim rolled his eyes as he moved his bishop. “I mean, you could probably test out, or at least into higher level classes if you wanted to. Why do you put up with it?” 

“The way I see it,” Selim moved his pawn forward, only half paying attention. Elicia moved her other knight, “everyone expects something from you. This way, nobody expects something from you that you’re not willing to give, yeah? If I’m more of me around my family, it’s fine, because I’m willing to give them more. If I’m less myself around others, it’s mostly because I don’t trust them and don’t want them asking for something I’m not willing to give.” 

“So if that’s what you’re worried about, just learn to say no,” Selim scowled as she took another one of his pieces. “Do whatever the hell you want, and screw anyone else.” 

“That’s not how it works,” Elicia smiled softly. “Don’t you remember? Even now when I leave you say things like ‘I won’t kill you today’. I live my life at the mercy of those stronger than me. The truth is, I don’t have the power to stand on my own. Not yet. I’m like a pawn – strategically useful, but ultimately incapable of winning the game alone.” 

“But a king and pawn versus king endgame is one of the most common results – and can be won, certainly.” Selim cracked a smile. “And remember? A pawn that crosses the board becomes a queen. It’s how many games are won.” 

“You’re acting...weird today. Weirder than  _ usual.  _ And that’s coming from the human who is best friends with an eldritch shadow demon who threatens to kill her every day – so what’s going on?” Elicia took a long sip of hot chocolate as she moved another piece on the board. 

“I can’t tell you.” Selim wrinkled his nose. “I lose in three turns.” 

“Oh, and so you do. Pity,” Elicia gave an infuriating grin that said she didn’t think it was a pity at all. “What do you mean you can’t tell me? What’s  _ stopping you?”  _

“Elicia, there are people and powers in play here that you can’t fathom. To them, you are entirely disposable. If they find out you know even a fraction of the truth, you’re disposable  _ and _ a threat. Not a large threat, but they  _ will kill you. _ That absolutely cannot be allowed under any circumstance. It is why you absolutely can never tell anyone about what I am, and if I ever tell you that you need to take your family and flee the country, you must  _ do it.”  _

“Sel, I thought we were past this whole ‘I am an eldritch shadow demon and above you’ thing! Do you honestly want to relapse into the ‘I’ll kill you’ phase of our friendship  _ now?”  _

“I have never met someone like you in all the four-hundred-fifty years of my life, and I will not lose you for my own carelessness –”

“Don’t you  _ dare  _ pull the ‘four-hundred-fifty’ card, you have  _ no right –”  _ Elicia gave a sigh for a moment before continuing, “ – besides, what do you wanna overthrow your father over, anyway?” 

“You know  _ nothing  _ about Father –”

The sound of footsteps down the hall caused both children to immediately silence. Elicia burned a bright red, a blazing mix of embarrassment and anger. 

“‘Whatever the hell I want’, right?” Elicia whispered in Selim’s ear, something shining just behind her eyes. “You to be my friend.  _ That’s  _ what I want.” 

***

“Daddy!” Elicia tackled her dad in a hug. “I had  _ so  _ much fun with Selim today! I beat him at chess with that strategy you taught me!” 

“That’s my wonderful little girl! How’s your new code going?” 

“Really, really good! The two-key system is super neat because once you’ve got one key, you  _ need  _ the other! So like, to encrypt one message, you use one key, and then to decrypt it you use the other. And if you make one of the keys known to people who wanna send you messages, they can encrypt stuff so that you can get those messages safely! And – and if you keep the second key to yourself, that means the only possible recipient of the message is you! And if you send them something encrypted with that second key back, that means they  _ know  _ it’s you, even if it’s a little easier decoded – although if you only give that first key to a couple of people I suppose it would work almost as effectively, or would be optimized between two people who can keep the key to themselves –”

“– my daughter is a genius! A perfect little genius!” Hughes spun Elicia around in the air. “You’re gonna be the best cryptographer in the world someday!” 

“Not better than you!” Elicia giggled. 

“You’re already better than me!” 

“No way! You taught me everything I know!” 

“And I taught you everything I know, and you’re already expanding the field! I’ve never  _ heard  _ of two-key cryptography before, and here you are already proposing and testing it!” Hughes laughed as his daughter turned red and hugged her close. “C’mon, let’s go eat the delicious dinner your delightful mother made!” 

***

“You chose Mother,” Pride spoke quietly. “I have chosen a human too – Elicia. Although we have certainly chosen them in different ways. Perhaps, then, it’s possible that humans are more than Father tells us? Perhaps even worthy of preserving – protecting?”

“What are you playing at, Pride?”

“I want to create a world in which we don’t have to fear for the humans we chose. Where no Promised Day, or blood seal, or vengeful alchemist can threaten them. I believe that is a world that you would also like to see.” 

“You mean to create a world in which homunculi and humans can live side by side?”

“No,” Pride was eerily quiet. “I mean to create a world in which Elicia and I can live side by side. If that means creating the world you speak of...that’s just a beneficial side effect.” 

“Humans are bothersome, Pride. Are you certain that all of that is worth it for one girl?” 

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, Wrath. That’s like saying I’m merely a shadow.” Selim glanced back at Wrath for a moment. “She knows what I am. She figured out the day we met. I was intrigued by this...human, who saw through me and refused to run away. Every day, I expected her to run away. Every day, she came. And...I told myself that I would kill her tomorrow. Every day. ‘One more day’ I would remind myself ‘and then you cannot let this farce of a friendship continue.’ But it did. And she has proven, time and again, that humanity’s incompetence – their lack of self preservation – is  _ baffling.  _ And amusing. And somehow, I do not want it to end. I am Pride, the first homunculus, the strongest homunculus...and I have the power to do  _ whatever the hell I want.”  _


	3. Little Promise, Little Price

“So, Sel, I’ve got an important question for you, seeing as your birthday’s coming up – what do you get the homunculus that has  _ everything?”  _ Elicia giggled as she walked down the street with Selim. 

The both of them were allowed out on their own so long as Selim’s bodyguards were near enough to help them if it boiled down to it – Selim and Elicia had mastered the art of staying just far enough away they couldn’t hear the conversation between the two. So, when Selim wanted to talk with Elicia, he would go and pick her up from school before going to the library. 

But, considering he picked her up from school today, he was strangely silent. So Elicia had decided to take it upon herself to start conversation, like it or not! 

“Oh, my birthday  _ is  _ coming up, isn’t it?” Selim thought aloud. “There’s nothing I want that  _ you  _ can get me...maybe we should ask if we can go somewhere, spend the weekend together? Assuming our parents are okay with it. We could go down south, to Dublith? Or maybe out to Resembool, explore the countryside!” 

“Do you think Daddy and Mama would be okay with that? Somebody would probably have to come with me, I’m too young to travel on my own and I dunno if they’d let me leave town with just you and your mama. But it would be fun! Or maybe I can get you something small every day, like – like write you a  _ really nice note in code  _ every day over the course of a month. So that way, it’s not just your birth _ day  _ anymore, it’s your birth _ month!  _ A month just for you – Pride Month!” 

Selim let out a laugh, “Pride Month sounds  _ perfect,  _ Elsie! Considering you’re broke all the time and couldn’t buy me anything yourself.” 

“It’s not my fault I’m a kid!” Elicia pouted. “I can’t make money for like, another six years, at  _ least! _ And that’s assuming my Daddy ever lets me get a job. If he hears I wanna enlist when I’m eighteen he’ll  _ flip –” _

“Don’t enlist,” Selim was suddenly dead serious. “Promise me you won’t. Although you may never get the chance – still. The military would put you in danger. That cannot be afforded.” 

“I’d be working in Investigations like Daddy, I wouldn’t be going anywhere far! Besides, that’s not your call, really. I like codes, and that would be a place where I could use my codes to do good things. And if you’re worried about safety, you can always come with me? We can like, enlist together, or you can use your shadowy-powers to fight with me regardless of if you’re in the military or not, like a superhero or something!” Elicia grinned. “But seriously. I’m doing it no matter what you think. Just so you know.” 

“You may never get the chance,” Selim shrugged, as if talking about the end of Amestris was the sort of thing he did on a day to day basis. “I mean, if I’m being honest, if this country lasts for another year I’ll be astonished. It would be incredibly fortunate to not have to worry about the constant border conflicts that Amestris seems to have, that would make you much safer. Perhaps the country will shatter, and you can retreat to one of the far edges – Briggs to the north may be a nice place, or perhaps Ishval?” 

“You’re playing with my dream of helping to restore Ishval again, aren’t you,” Elicia narrowed her eyes at Selim. “I’m on to you, Sel.” 

“You’ve been reading me better than anyone I’ve ever met since the day we _met._ If there’s anyone who can tell what I’m planning, it’s you.” 

“Darn right! Speaking of, with all this ‘overthrowing the government’ talk you’ve had recently, what’s going on there? Is that a  _ you _ plan, or is there a problem with your  _ dad,  _ or what? Because Mr. Bradley has always been really nice when I’ve talked to him. Not that I’m really capable of forming  _ coherent sentences  _ around him. But like. What’s going on there?” 

“It’s less about my  _ dad  _ and more about  _ Father.”  _ Elicia could hear the capitalization. “My...creator. He is much more...problematic than I am, with human lives. And even I...threatened to kill you. For almost two years. Not the sterling track record I would hope for, but...likely better than many of my siblings would’ve acted. If you’d been  _ Envy’s  _ problematic human – I can’t even fathom!” Selim seemed to almost break into a laugh. 

“So you’ve got a buncha siblings? That’s cool. How many of you are there?” 

“There are seven of us siblings. Six other than myself, and then there’s...Father. Greed would probably like you, if he could pull his head out of his ass and see that he wants friends. Dad – Mr. Bradley as you call him – is Wrath, he  _ already _ likes you. He just doesn’t want to admit it. Lust is...difficult to get a read on, as she’s very manipulative. And Gluttony does whatever Lust does. Envy would probably be the biggest threat to your safety, other than Sloth. And Sloth would be too lazy to give a damn what you do. Father, of course, you can never meet under any circumstances at all whatsoever. If he ever tries to meet you – a man with golden hair and golden eyes – get to the nearest cluster of shadows you can find and hide. You can’t run somewhere he won’t find you, and you surely can’t fight back.” 

“Wow, there’s a  _ lot _ to unpack there.” Elicia shook her head as if trying to shake loose certain thoughts and ideas. “So...Mr. Bradley is actually like you? And your creator is a problematic people-killing jerk? With golden hair and golden eyes.” 

“Yes,” Selim affirmed. “And he doesn’t nearly look his age, so be wary of that as well. He doesn’t look like an old man, but he’s  _ very  _ old. Perhaps one of the greatest alchemists to ever live. He can transmute without a circle, so don’t think that just because he hasn’t drawn one that he’s not capable of using alchemy. His battle strategy is reliant on that fact.” 

“I don’t know if I could ever face someone that strong and win,” Elicia wrinkled her nose. “I’m a kid, and I’m a  _ booky  _ kid. I can’t fight. Like. At  _ all.”  _

“And you won’t ever have to,” Selim flicked her forehead. “Remember? Get to shadows. I’m gonna start tailing you wherever you go from now on, but you’d be easiest to defend in a position where I can use my shadows to surround you without worrying about you getting caught up in the attacks. You’re still a pawn right now, you’re not old enough to cross the board and get promoted. If I tried to trust you with a weapon right now, you’d just stab yourself by accident.” 

“Would not!” 

“Yeah, you totally would,” Selim laughed a bit at Elicia’s pout. “So, what are you looking for from the library today?” 

“I asked the librarian that got fired – y’know, Sheska? She was  _ super nice  _ when I was looking for stuff when I was younger – anyway, I asked if she knew of any good cookbooks, ‘cuz Mama wanted to try some new recipes! She mentioned that there was one that had like, one thousand flavors and she remembered it because it was stuffed in totally the wrong place. So I was gonna check that out, and maybe a book on toxicology! I’ve hit a limit with what I can do with cryptology without entering the military, which I can’t do ‘cuz I’m a kid. But recognizing poisons and stuff is something I can research for now that could be useful when I grow up! Especially once I’m Führer and you’re my second in command!” 

“Hm. Well, do tell me if any of those recipes work out. I do always love your mother’s cooking – do you think she’d mind if I come over for dinner soon?” 

“She’d love it! You know you’re always welcome, Sel.” 

“I’d hate to impose, Elsie.” 

“You’re not an imposition! You’re gonna be my second in command one day, once I finally surpass you. We’re gonna be best friends forever and ever, yeah?” 

“When you finally surpass me,” Selim cracked a smile at that. “Yeah, sure! Forever and ever.” 

“Hey...since you know a buncha stuff, do you know if my daddy’s okay? He had to go to East City suddenly yesterday, something about a bunch of State Alchemist killings. If it’s someone who can kill a lot of State Alchemists, they could probably kill him too.” 

“They won’t. They wouldn’t. They  _ can’t,”  _ Selim shook his head. “I’ve got shadows everywhere, Elsie. Following you and your family. They’re safe. Promise.” 

“You’re the bestest friend ever, Sel! Thank you for protecting Mama and Daddy!” 

“Yeah, yeah, it’s no big deal. Just...make sure you’re careful, and keep an eye out for any ouroboros tattoos or Father, and it’ll be fine. And listen when I tell you to get the hell outta dodge. That’s all.” 

“And if I do that, you keep Daddy safe?” 

“I promise, if you listen to me when I’m trying to protect you and make sure to stay away from my family, I’ll keep your family safe.” 

“Thanks, Sel! You’re the best.” 

“I know. You’re not a shabby second place.” 

“Aw, you really  _ do  _ care!” 

“In your dreams,  _ Ornithoptera priamus.” _

“And maybe in yours, too,  _ Pyrrhus!” _


	4. Little Voice, Little Vice

When Selim wasn’t standing beside Elicia, he was standing behind her. 

Maes wasn’t even sure Selim was entirely aware of it, but his actions were undoubtable. He was always looking over her shoulder and standing at her back, as if somehow  _ he  _ could protect her if something came at them from either direction. It was...unusual, for someone of their age, and incredibly likely to be a result of Führer King Bradley’s upbringing. 

Selim was going to be incredibly dangerous, someday, and Maes was  _ glad  _ the boy was going to be on his daughter’s side. 

There were several strange things that had come about as a result of their friendship. None of them innately bad, of course, but incredibly unusual. 

Elicia stuck to shadows. She wasn’t aware of it, Maes was  _ sure,  _ but whenever she was idle or had the option to sit wherever she chose, she stuck to the shadowed edges of a room. She hated absolute darkness, but even if it was going to impair her ability to read, she refused to sit directly in the light. 

Selim could lie to Maes. Innately that wouldn’t be worrying, but not many people could. And Selim was a  _ child.  _ He trusted his darling daughter to tell him if there was anything worrying or unusual going on, but the truth was that Selim could talk circles around  _ anyone.  _ He could claim that he was a hundred-foot-tall eldritch shadow beast and people would  _ believe him.  _ It was  _ weird  _ for a kid to have that kind of skill at rhetoric. 

And even weirder was that Elicia had picked up on both of those facts. Not only could Selim not lie to her – which was in itself a testament to the skill she’d developed in reading people – but she could lie just as easily. 

And then came the languages –  _ dear God, the languages  _ – that the two seemed to pick up wherever they went! Elicia was gifted in words, in recognizing patterns in speech and people. It was something he’d fostered since she was young, and she loved it. But the ability to recognize patterns in language well enough to be fluent in  _ at least three  _ by the age of ten was  _ bizarre.  _ And somehow, Selim knew just as many! 

Maes was inclined to chalk it up to Selim’s excellent teachers and his daughter’s  _ clear  _ knack for languages, but it was undoubtedly strange to hear the two of them changing their speech from Amestrian to Ishvalan to a language Maes hadn’t even  _ heard  _ of! And he was head of Investigations, _ foreign language was his job!  _ Frankly, with the way the two of them seemed to be able to read each other, it was entirely likely that Selim and Elicia had developed a language all their own for when adults were around, just to ensure they couldn’t be understood. 

“I forgot the word in Amestrian,” Elicia pouted. She spoke a string of words in that language Maes couldn’t recognize, and Selim rolled his eyes, speaking in Amestrian in response. 

“Raisin?” 

_ “That’s the one!”  _

Yeah, those two were  _ weird  _ together. But they had each other, at least. And as far as Maes could tell, they were the only people in the world who could actually get each other like that. So it was probably good for them. 

So he’d take stock of the weirdness, acknowledge it, and let it go. It wasn’t worth taking away Elicia’s best friend over, whatever the truth may be. 

***

Elicia flipped into Xerxian, because what she was about to say was  _ not  _ something to be understood by anyone around them. Selim had taught her the language – or started teaching her the language – soon after they first met, so they could talk freely about whatever they wanted  _ wherever  _ they wanted. Probably so he could threaten her freely. But she loved learning languages, because it was sort of like a code all its own, and soon after she asked to start learning Ishvalan, too. 

“So. The cookbook I checked out, as it turns out, is  _ not  _ a cookbook.” Elicia’s eyes narrowed. “It’s actually a code. A  _ kick ass code,  _ but a code nonetheless. I took the last two days to translate it, and – there’s a lot in there. A  _ lot.  _ Check this out,” Elicia took out her notes on the topic, copied in the sort of Xerxian that only a ten year old could write. “Do you see the way that different words and symbols clearly are in acknowledgment of alchemical...things? I don’t understand it. I forgot the word in Amestrian. For depressed grapes?” 

“Raisin?” 

_ “That’s the one!  _ Raisins, within the recipe, they stand for like.  _ Human souls,  _ I think? Or human lives. Because that’s the only thing that could possibly be used as a source in that way. Or maybe it means a bunch of humans have to work together to give a portion of themselves away to create  _ one whole  _ soul? I don’t know. I don’t understand alchemy. But whatever this is...it’s evil. I think. People...you’re not supposed to make people. Or kill people. And I think this might be supposed to do both.” 

Selim let loose a string of words in Xerxian that Elicia had  _ not  _ learned yet. “Okay.  _ Okay.  _ We can deal with this. We need to burn those notes – probably the whole First Branch of the library – and we can just pretend that this never happened. It’ll be  _ fine,  _ but you can’t tell anyone, this’ll all be fine as long as we  _ don’t tell anyone –” _

“Selim. Please. I need you to tell me what’s going on with this. I – I feel like I stumbled across something  _ important.  _ And you clearly know what’s going on. I don’t know if it’s luck or fate or whatever that’s pulled me into this world of crazy impossibility, but I know that I’m  _ here,  _ and I have a right to know what’s going on.” 

“People have died for knowing less than you do, Elicia.  _ Do you understand?  _ You are a  _ ten year old girl  _ who has learned a truth that countries have died over. You can’t tell anyone because if the wrong people find out what knowledge you have, at  _ best  _ it would ruin your life and your family's lives. Please, be  _ careful.  _ I will not have you die for my carelessness.” 

“No, I think you’ll find I’m going to die for your callousness instead.” She glanced over at her dad, who hadn’t understood a word of the conversation that had just transpired under his nose. “...They would hurt my dad?” 

“They mean to raze this country to the ground, Elsie.  _ We _ meant to raze this country to the ground. But I realized what that would mean...I’m doing everything I can to stop it, Els. But they have a hand in everything, and I...don’t want them to hurt you. So I’ve got to be careful. Please understand.” 

“They will not take it from us. Not this – not our home, not our friendship. They can’t – they cannot be allowed to.” 

“They won’t,” Selim promised. “Elsie, I’m going to keep you safe. And I’m going to keep your family safe. But you have to  _ trust me.  _ You can’t keep those notes. Let me burn them, and the First Branch, and as far as everyone else is concerned, you don’t  _ even believe  _ in souls. And then...we just need to monitor who may be monitoring you. You’ve got that window in your room still...but it’s a new moon. Okay, make sure you have a light on or something tonight.” 

“...okay. When this is over...when it’s safe...you owe me the truth. All of it.” 

“I owe you the truth  _ now, _ Els. But that doesn’t mean you can afford the price that would cost.” 

*** 

It was late that night. Selim was in his room – not sleeping, of course. He found he couldn’t do much of that anymore. Not that he ever did much of that to begin with. 

Still, his recent nightly ritual was...different than anything he had ever done before. He laid in his bed, closed his eyes, and focused on his breath. 

When he opened his eyes again, he was in a desert, sitting across from a teenage boy with golden hair and golden eyes. 

“Oh, how the prideful have fallen!” He cracked a grin. “Before we were ‘fuel’ and now you’re talking to every last one of us! Giving each of us at least  _ five hours  _ to get to know you – that’s no way to treat  _ fuel,  _ Pride.” 

“I’ve reevaluated. You souls are part of  _ me,  _ the first homunculus, the most powerful of my kind! If you are the ones who make up the different parts of me, you clearly are worth more than  _ most  _ human souls.” 

“And so that Elicia isn’t disappointed in you when she finds out you’re made up of hundreds of souls. Don’t forget, today she inched closer to the truth – and you’re not even a quarter of the way through us. What do you think  _ she’s  _ going to think when she learns what you are? What you’ve  _ done?”  _

“I think she’ll hate me, probably. As she has every right to, frankly. And I don’t much care,” Pride shrugged, a mask of indifference on his face. “I’ve spent long enough hating her kind. It’s only fair she returns the favor. Equivalent exchange.” 

The teenage boy let out a whooping laugh. “You actually mean it! You actually mean to –  _ grow as a person!  _ You absolutely impossible  _ bastard,  _ I can’t believe it! You wanna get to know us, and you wanna change? Fine. I’ll help you out –  _ if  _ you promise that when all of this is over, you go to the ruins of Xerxes, and you work to rebuild my home. I don’t care if it takes a thousand years. You’ve fought this long to destroy Amestris, you can fight to rebuild Xerxes. Equivalent exchange.” 

“I swear on my pride as a homunculus, I will.” 

“Good. Then my name...” the boy paused for a moment, looking down his nose at Pride “...is Merrin.” 

***

School  _ sucked.  _ There was an itchy uniform, and stupidly easy math, and classmates she can never really be honest with. Elicia, without a shadow of a doubt,  _ hated it.  _

So, when offered a reprieve, of  _ course  _ she took it. 

“Elicia Hughes to the front office? Please bring your things,” the speaker system droned. 

She kept a giggle to herself, folding her blue notebook into her backpack – blue for math, of course – before pulling her bag over one shoulder and flouncing down the hall. It was weird, but there was no way she was in  _ trouble – _

– until she reached the front office.  _ That _ made her stop short. 

Because, in front of a towering suit of armor, there was a boy with golden hair and golden eyes. 

“Elicia? I’ve heard you read Dr. Marcoh’s notes –”

Without knowing what they meant, Elicia repeated the string of Xerxian words Selim had used the day before. 

It seemed like that kind of moment. 


	5. The Kingdom of Children

“What?” The golden eyed kid in a red coat did a double take as Elicia reevaluated the situation. She coughed into her hand, trying immediately to cover for herself. 

“Sorry, I had something caught in my throat. I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m sorry! All I read were recipes written by a Mr. Tim Marcoh. There was nothing at all unique about them.” Elicia took a step back defensively into her shadow. “I’m very sorry if that’s not the answer you were looking for.” 

“Elsie!” 

“Selim!” Elicia breathed his name like a sigh of relief when he burst through the door. “What are you doing here? You don’t go to this school –”

“Yeah, but I thought I’d come see you for lunch! You’ve been dreading school a _lot_ this week so before I left last night I got your dad’s permission! Surprise!” He reached for her hand and squeezed it, standing ever-so-slightly in front of her. 

“Who the hell is this kid?” The boy in the red coat narrowed his eyes. 

“This is Selim Bradley, my best friend! Selim, this is…” Elicia raised an eyebrow at the suit of armor. “Sorry, I don’t know your names.” 

“I’m Edward Elric and this is my brother, Alphonse. I’m –”

“The Fullmetal Alchemist, _whoa!_ I’ve heard all about you from my Father!” There was a soft squeeze to Elicia’s hand at that, although no lookin her direction – it was a message from Selim. 

_Translation: This man is not Father, he is safe and maybe worth trusting._

“Your father?” 

“Selim’s dad is Mr. Bradley! If you wanna talk about what I read, Selim was there too. It’ll be easier for us to remember when we’ve got each other to bounce off of!” 

_Translation: I won’t tell you diddly-squat unless Selim’s there! So nyeh!_

“I thought you said you couldn’t remember anything weird?” Alphonse piped up for the first time. 

“Yeah, I lied!” Elicia beamed. “I do that sometimes, especially around new people!” 

“You little —“

“Careful, Mr. Fullmetal!” Selim cut Edward off. “There _are_ children present, after all.” 

“So, since I was told to bring my stuff, you _clearly_ have the clearance to check me out of school, yeah? Do that. We can go to – well, I don’t know. Somewhere private. Nobody can overhear what we’re gonna talk about, alrighty?” 

“Okay,” Alphonse was quiet compared to his brother. “Anything you can tell us would be of great help.” 

***

The four of them were sitting in the back room of the library – Selim and Elicia on one side, Edward and Alphonse on the other. 

“I don’t have the notes anymore,” Elicia smiled. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t give them to you. I’m also not going to tell you anything. There’s a woman – Sheska? A former librarian and a friend. Convince her to write a copy of the book, she has perfect memory. Then decode it. That is all I can afford to do in helping you.” 

“You –”

“The information in that book is _dangerous,”_ Selim narrowed his eyes. “You’d best consider yourself lucky you’re getting that much. She owes you _nothing,_ especially not information that could cost her life.” 

“You’re right,” Edward sighed. “How did you come across it, anyway?” 

“Like all of the chaotic, life-altering things in my life...I must admit, it was entirely by accident. I was looking for a recipe book for my Mama, like I normally would, y’know? And then I started reading it, and most people would’ve written it off, but I’m like...good at codes.” 

“She’s the best cryptologist that’s ever lived!” Selim interjected. “That’s what my Papa says. Of course, she doesn’t take _nearly_ the credit she deserves, so I gotta make sure to give it to her!” 

_“Sel!”_ Elicia’s cheeks burned red, and Alphonse fought back a laugh. “All I did was invent _one_ new kind of cypher, and suddenly Mr. Bradley thinks I’m some _great cryptologist –”_ She shook off the incoming tangent. “– anyway! I did what I always do when I see something weird going on – went directly to Sel so I didn’t have to deal with it alone. Most adults wouldn’t take a ten year old seriously –” The Elric brothers exchanged an incomprehensible look at _that_ “ – so Sel and I started relying on each other for this sort of thing pretty young. You wouldn’t get it, people trust _you_ when you unearth large-scale government conspiracies. We found out the truth and were _horrified._ So we burned what we found –” _another_ weird look from the Elrics “– entirely unrelated to the First Branch fire, I’m always down to break the law but not to _that degree –_ and then we promised never to talk about it again.” 

“What changed your minds?” Alphonse asked. 

“Frankly...you’re kids. Just like me. And – and you’re older, and people take you more seriously. But I think that we – the younger people? We gotta step up where the people older than us have failed. We can’t get hung up on all the ways they’ve let us down, we just gotta work together to move forward. It’s too important for us to not. So I’m putting trust in you right now – and I hope someday, that means you can put trust in me, too, y’know?” Elicia smiled. “A gambit. I put myself in a risky situation – maybe I sacrifice a pawn – and then I hopefully gain a strategic advantage. I didn’t know if it was worth the risk at first – luckily Sel came pretty quick, and we were able to communicate pretty clearly on what was going on – and we agreed it was worth it.” 

“I...like that line of thinking. We can rely on each other from now on!” Alphonse’s armor creaked as he adjusted in his chair. “You and Elicia are really close, aren’t you?” 

“Elsie’s like my other half! She’s the Mercutio to my Romeo – sorta my foil. You’re alchemists, so you know all about Equivalent Exchange – it’s that. Of course, you two would know all about that, wouldn’t you? Everybody’s heard stories about your travels!”

_Nice deflection, Sel!_

“You’re an alchemist?” Edward raised an eyebrow. 

_Bad deflection, Sel!_

“No way! Although that would be super cool. I just know some people who are! Personally I’m more of an optics kind of a guy, y’know? The study of light as it applies to physics – right now I’m writing a really good paper on radiation! The whole idea is that radiation might cause some problems genetically with people, because it hits a buncha cells at random and breaks down molecules which become reactive, which could cause some bad problems! So if it breaks, like, DNA, that could cause like, all kinds of genetic mutations!” Selim beamed, as if he weren’t proposing a paper that would dramatically shift his field. “Elicia has what she’s good at, and I’ve got what I’m good at! I’ve recently developed an interest in medical science, too, which is how I figured out my paper!” 

Edward broke into a grin. “I like you two. Yeah, let’s rely on each other in the future!” 

“Thank goodness I don’t have to be your enemy,” Elicia sighed. “I think my Daddy might actually have been _disappointed_ in me. For like, the first time ever! Anyway, good luck with Sheska – tell her I sent you – and then decode it, okay? And come get us when you’ve finished!” She and Selim both rose, starting to walk away before Elicia turned and looked over her shoulder. “Oh, and by the way? I’ve got a hint for you! _Follow the raisins!”_

With that, she and Selim left. 

“You know, Brother, they remind me of a couple of kids that used to live in Resembool.” 

“Yeah...me too. They’re not going to make the same kinds of mistakes, though. They’re just kids.”

“We were just kids, too. But you’re right that they won’t make the same kinds of mistakes. We won’t let them.”

***

"I almost had a heart attack in there," Elicia wheezed. "Dear _God,_ that was awful. I saw his eyes and hair and I froze. Be more specific next time!" 

"We got really lucky that I was visiting you for lunch," Selim squeezed Elicia's hand as she sat between the bookshelves, her breathing unsteady as she tried to recover. "They're...safe to trust, I think. From everything I know, they wouldn't side with Father. I hadn't realized you'd be meeting Fullmetal, or I'd have warned you. I'm...sorry." 

"Selim apologized! He said the phrase 'I'm sorry', alert the presses, this is a _momentous occasion –"_

_"Shut up,"_ Selim bumped Elicia with his shoulder, fighting back a smile. 

_Maybe things could work out, after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god i cannot *wait* to write the parallels of ed and al versus selim and elicia because. *whoops* i tripped and fell in love with the concept of their relationships as foils for each other??? like pride was already a foil to ed and then just taking that up to an eleven as pride discovers his humanity is. so much fun.  
> and i love writing elicia and selim because she's such a kid – she’s armed with more information than almost any other character at this point and yet she doesn’t understand the implications of it at all so like. shadow monster? yeah that’s just her cool vaguely murderous best friend selim. secret conspiracy to burn the country to the ground? normal tuesday. it's *awesome*.


	6. Fool’s Mate

Chess was a funny little game. It was a favorite pastime for both Selim and Elicia, perfect for plotting, and planning, and practicing strategy. 

This game of chess was nothing like the ones that Selim had grown used to playing. He was beginning to gather his pieces together – he’d already managed to determine several of them, but not enough. He couldn’t even tell who he was  _ playing against.  _ Not yet. 

He needed to wait. He needed to be  _ patient.  _ He had to plan carefully, as this was a game in which he refused to sacrifice a single piece. 

Whenever he and Elicia played together, she was better at careful planning and patience. Selim had always preferred fast, decisive victories – it was why he favored the King’s gambit, even if it was  _ technically  _ supposed to be less effective. 

That wasn’t going to work here. 

But, then, Elicia had always been a better chess player than him.

***

“Hiya!” Elicia bounced into the room where Alphonse and Edward were camped out with Dr. Marcoh’s notes, having tried to decode them for a week. “How’s it going? Have you made good progress?” 

“How the hell did you decode this?” Ed groaned from the desk, facedown in a book. “You’re not even an  _ alchemist.”  _

“It was all about the raisins,” Elicia spoke wisely. “Seriously, though, you two need a  _ break!  _ Food wouldn’t work because Alphonse can’t eat –” she totally missed the way both boys choked at that “– so how about going on a nice walk?” 

“How did you know?” Alphonse asked, quiet. 

“Your footsteps are hollow when you walk. I’m not gonna ask why, or how – it’s really none of my business – but you’re not the only strange person I know. Actually, you’re  _ much  _ more normal than them.”

The boys exchanged another look.  __

“What do you  _ mean?”  _ Alphonse was quiet. 

“Hm. Well...I pick up on codes. So I’ve got this friend, Solaris? She and I accidentally started exchanging letters about a year ago. I accidentally picked it up when it was meant for someone else that I’m close to, but I decoded her message. At that point I felt  _ really bad  _ so I had my mom help me bake an apple pie for her and then promptly returned it and wrote an apology for ‘accidentally’ stumbling across it. She’s a homunculus.” Elicia shrugged. “Never met her in person, though. Actually, to be honest, nobody even really knows that I talk to her.” 

“Are you certain she’s  _ real?”  _ Ed double checked. 

“Oh, absolutely.” Elicia’s grin grew slightly more sinister. “Who ever said she’s the only homunculus I know, after all?” 

Ed paled considerably at that. 

“Of course, I’m not supposed to tell you about any of the others. My friend would have my head for that – not literally, of course, but there was a time that they  _ would’ve.”  _ She could feel the looks that Ed and Al were giving her. “Oh, don’t be like that. If someone hasn’t threatened to kill you, can you even call them your friend?” 

“But – but  _ we’re  _ friends, and nobody’s threatened anyone else!” Alphonse argued. 

“Selim has definitely threatened to kill you. Or, at least, to have someone  _ else  _ kill you. You may not have picked up on it, but I know him, and I know what his threats sound like.” Elicia giggled a little bit. “He’s kind of – like,  _ awful  _ at being intimidating?? There was a time in our friendship when he’d threaten me every day. And he probably didn’t even realize himself, but he didn’t mean it. Not  _ once.  _ If he’d have meant it, I wouldn’t have come back. But I could see it – behind his eyes, in the way he stood and in the way he carried himself during the day, he wasn’t going to hurt me. I don’t think he could, even if he thought he wanted to. Because deep down, all he’s ever wanted was for someone to love him the way he deserves – the way  _ everyone  _ deserves. I think he was older than he should’ve been when he realized it wasn’t selfish to be loved. So I’ve made it a – sort of personal mission – to love him the way that people  _ should  _ love him, and to show him that it’s okay to have self worth. There’s nothing  _ wrong  _ with liking yourself for who you are instead of what you do. That’s not arrogance. That’s not  _ pride.  _ Pride is...like, shame, almost. Pride is when you don’t think that you’re enough, so you start measuring yourself by your actions or – or achievements or whatever! It’s sad that that’s who he’s been molded into. I won’t let it happen. Not anymore.” 

Elicia unclenched her fist, letting out a giggle. “Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent there! I just...really love Selim. I think love is the word for it. I don’t know what other word could define this feeling. He is...he deserves to remember that there’s good in the world. And there’s good in  _ him.  _ It’s not wrong to believe in hope. It’s not wrong to believe that even the very worst person can change” Elicia flushed a bright red. “Ah, I’m doing it again, aren’t I? I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s – it’s lovely,” Alphonse’s voice was kind. “I think I get what you mean. There are some people you can’t help but believe in.” 

Ed sighed deeply, breaking himself out of some sort of deep thought. “You’re both absolutely nuts. Now, what was it you were saying earlier about following the raisins –”

“Oh! Well it’s actually a neat little bit of code – the raisins themselves are simultaneously symbolic of an ingredient while also being indicative of the space between his notes as a throughline for the pieces relevant to the creation of a philosopher’s stone as opposed to some of his other alchemical research –”

***

“Greed.” Selim’s shadows leaked into the room, eyes menacing and teeth sharp. “What do you plan for the Promised Day?” 

Greed responded in a similar tone. “What do  _ you  _ want? Are you going to report back to Daddy Dearest?” 

Selim’s shadows shuddered as he snorted. “Hardly. Quite the opposite, in fact. I’ve got a human now. I’d rather she gets the chance to grow up. Wouldn’t you say the same for your own?” 

“So Dad’s favorite finally hit his rebellious phase?” Greed quirked an eyebrow. “And over a  _ human kid.  _ Who’d have thought!” 

“It’s merely that Father intends to exhaust a resource that we could go on using for thousands of years, that’s all –”

Greed let out a laugh, and Selim sighed. 

He couldn’t tell which was worse – his infuriatingly basic piano lesson, talking to Greed, or the fact that he had to do both simultaneously. 

***

Selim’s shadows twitched as Elicia walked with him through the garden of the Bradley estate. There was something watching them, and he couldn’t tell  _ what,  _ and he couldn’t do anything about it in plain daylight! 

He tapped Elicia’s hand in a pattern resembling morse code. They’d established it several months ago, basic words and methods of spelling for emergency situations. 

_ We’re being watched by someone who may know our languages. Tread carefully.  _

Elicia responded by tapping a finger on Selim’s hand as concisely as she could manage. 

_ I understand. It’s too dangerous to do anything for now, so we should act as we usually would.  _

“Selim, it seems that the cookbook I lent our friends is finally getting some use! I think tonight they’re going to figure out the recipe with the raisins, it’s very exciting. I worry, though, it may turn out a little different from what they expected based on the name. It could end up upsetting them quite a bit if they realize they’re not willing to get the ingredients they need.” 

“Mn. You really think they’re gonna get to baking tonight?” 

“They’ve been working at the cookbook nonstop, and they’ve cracked everything else. Do you think I should help them with the cooking, so they don’t get upset when they realize that we didn’t tell them everything they’d need?” 

“Absolutely not. Elsie, you can’t go over there tonight, okay? No matter what. Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to spend the night here! Mother was talking about making your favorite for dinner, regardless, and I’d feel better that way. You may like our new friends, but I don’t trust them yet. And I don’t want them to take it out on you when they can’t cook efficiently.” 

“Okay! Although it would be very out of character for them to do that, I’d love to see Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, and eat dinner with you, and probably beat you in chess a couple of times!” 

“You wouldn’t beat me in chess!” Selim turned a - frankly embarrassing - shade of red. “I’m gonna beat you this time. I mean it!”

“Ehe, sure you will~!” She giggled as Selim’s pout intensified. 

***

Wrath was worried about Elicia. He was even more worried about the fact that he seemed to be the only one who  _ was.  _ Not that he would ever admit to any of that out loud, of course. 

Things may have been different had they truly been the people they pretended to be. He may have confronted her about it and tried to figure out what was wrong, had he really been ‘Mr. Bradley’. She probably wouldn’t even be suppressing herself like this. She was too young to be ignoring her feelings like that. 

She was running out of time for a normal childhood. There was a countdown to the end of the country or at least a battle of epic proportions, and knowingly or not, Elicia would be in the middle. Her relationship with Selim had guaranteed that much. 

Selim – Pride – whoever he was. Elicia would know which he was – would know  _ who  _ he was. But Wrath didn’t. And Selim probably couldn’t read Elicia that well, either. 

There was a lot of strangeness in their relationship. Frankly, if Elicia had decided to run away at the beginning, Wrath wouldn’t have stopped her. He might even have helped her, or at least tried to. 

But she never ran, and even stranger, Pride did nothing about it. Instead he helped to  _ train  _ her. Languages, codes, even intentionally setting up secret correspondence with Lust so as to have another homunculus attached to her enough that they may help her in the future – establishing it independently from himself so they would trust each other – it was unusual. 

Even stranger was how easily Elicia took to all of it. She was already a prodigious codebreaker, but her knack for languages was almost as impressive. Most startling of all was how well Lust had taken to her. She had, once or twice, talked to Wrath in passing about her ‘young  protégé ’ who she was teaching tactics and strategy to through coded correspondence. 

Selim had accidentally created a master of battle strategy. Elicia, if personally engaged in combat, would lose swiftly. But placed in command of wide swaths of people with moderate skill, she could communicate and execute strategies most adults couldn’t come up with. 

She also didn’t articulate her emotions. She pretended to be some happy go lucky childish caricature of herself because she didn’t want to disappoint the people around her. 

She had grown up and into it so much that nobody could even tell. It was almost as if there were two Elicias – the one in her thoughts and the one she showed the world – and even she couldn’t tell which was which. It was almost sad, in its way. 

“Mr. Bradley, how about you?” Elicia suddenly snapped Wrath back into the conversation. “Have you ever been so scared of something that you can’t even bring yourself to move?” 

“I must say, I have.” Wrath took a bite of his meal so as to give himself time to think. “Every day, I’m faced with the difficulties of running our country. I am acutely aware that if I should fail, everyone I care for will lose everything. It can be a bit frightening to have that sort of power.” 

“Well, that’s the responsibility of those in power, right?” Selim tilted his head a bit from across the table. “To protect the people who have less power than they do. That’s your job as the strongest person in the country – to protect the rest of Amestris no matter what kind of threat it faces!” 

_ So now you’re even appealing to my sense of duty? How desperate you must be to prevent the Promised Day!  _

“You’re right. But sometimes what the people want and what the people need are entirely different things, so it can be difficult to satisfy both the citizens and their needs. Someday, when you’re in power, you’ll understand.” 

“I don’t want to understand,” Elicia was quiet. “A country run in fear is no country at all. Not that I think this is a country run by fear, of course, but that kind of thought process can lead to it. The emotional wellbeing of the people is just as relevant as their longevity. If you ask me, of course! I’ve only studied government with Solaris – a friend of mine – for about two months now. So I don’t really know what I’m talking about. But I can tell you that Daddy told me growing up that when you start thinking that way – of needs over wants, of always giving people what is best for them instead of what they want, of not listening to them and doing what you think is best – it can lead to an unhealthy relationship! Because once you’re not emotionally invested, it can be easy to lose sight of what and why you’re doing what you’re doing, plus without taking their emotions into account, it can be easy to stop seeing a person as a person.” Elicia gave a nervous smile. “I think that running a country might work the same way?” 

“You’re probably right,” Wrath conceded. “However, there are times that the emotional needs of a country cannot be safely met. At that time, sometimes the government must play a villainous role, just as a parent must reprimand a child. If those occasions are few and far between in the upbringing of a child – and in the history of a country – they often lead to a healthier relationship with foreign nations and a healthier national identity. In the case of countries, it also can mean that – much like when a parent accidentally lets their emotions get the best of them – mistakes can be made. And sometimes those mistakes have consequences on the people. When that happens, reparations must be made, and lessons must be learned.”

“But when that happens with countries, it can lead to things like the Ishval genocide!” Selim cut in. “It can’t be allowed to happen often. When possible, it’s gotta be avoided!” 

“And your father does his best to prevent such occurrences when possible,” Mrs. Bradley cut in. “If he didn’t, I would never have married him.” 

Selim smiled widely, and Elicia giggled. 

_ Oooh, that’s gotta be uncomfortable!  _

“Of course,” Wrath agreed. “You’re right, of course you are.” 

Forget what Wrath thought about being worried for Elicia.  _ Clearly  _ if she was helping Selim torment him, she was fine. 

Probably. 

She was, at the very least, unaware of what was likely going on across town. 

Of course, everyone in the room was unaware of what was going on across town at that point. 

They were entirely unaware of what awaited them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so i just finished a later chapter, because i’m That Person who writes a book out of order and. i am Excited™. in the spirit of things, i’m gonna give a little portion encoded. it’s what elicia would’ve wanted. 
> 
> “Qnh, Bnu? R vrpqc qjen cx px jfjh oxa j urccun fqrun – jwm R mxw’c twxf fqjc cqrwpb jan pxwwj kn urtn, ro – fqnw fn bnn njlq xcqna jpjrw. R mxw’c twxf fqx R’v pxrwp cx kn, xa fqjc cqn fxaum rb pxwwj uxxt urtn fqnw fn mx. Kdc hxd’an pxwwj qjen cx tnny pxrwp, xtjh? Jwm wx vjccna fqjc qjyynwb – wx vjccna fqjc R vjh bjh xa fqx R vrpqc knlxvn. R uxen hxd. Jwm R jufjhb fruu.”
> 
> anyway have fun! it’s easy enough to decode anyway lmao.


	7. Sins and Virtues

_“There is a man who walks alone_

_with shadows at his back._

_With a grin of bloody endless night –_

_he is asked_

_‘What is it that you lack?’_

_With a bitter smile,_

_the shadows tell him this –_

_‘Whatever it is you lust for most, you wish –_

_your deepest greed can now be sated._

_You gluttonous fool whom food cannot nourish_

_for you envy what others have created –_

_too slothful to begin and ever truly finish –_

_Wrathful are you, whose greatest virtue is vice –_

_so put aside your pride and prepare to pay the price –_

_what is the wish you would pay for with your life?’_

_The man stops,_

_and smiles,_

_and ponders,_

_and stares,_

_and what he said next caught the shadow_

_completely unaware –_

_‘The wish for which I would give my soul_

_is not one you could grant._

_All I want is for those that I know_

_to finally understand –_

_Lust is desire, and ambition is no sin_

_and if you have no envy, there’s no battle to win._

_Wrath is anger, and anger is truth –_

_and pride is knowing that people believe in you._

_Sloth is rest, which all dearly need_

_and gluttony reaching for more, even if you won’t succeed._

_Greed is longing, much like the others –_

_it pushes us to new heights, shows us what we can discover._

_These are truths in moderation,_

_as all things are_

_much like morality,_

_and hope,_

_and wishing upon stars –_

_I will make no wish for which I would trade my soul_

_for only in doing it myself will I have achieved my goal.’_

_The shadows laughed at the man alone_

_and sent shivers down his spine._

_‘One day, you’ll wish you’d known_

_the offer you’d been given._

_I’ll wait, and linger, and bide my time –_

_inevitably, I will win._

_I am the charity of giving what people want_

_who chastely gives not what they need._

_I am the kindness that takes it all back_

_temperately waiting for them to succumb to greed._

_I have the humility to know I do wrong_

_and the fortitude to remain, unwavering._

_I am diligent in my duty, the test and the promise –_

_I know what I must do, though I am unaware of the purpose –_

_I am the blinding white light of the heavens_

_the prayer to a god who will not hear._

_I am the miracle for which you long –_

_the saint you beg to lend an ear._

_A day will come when you find I’ll smite you down_

_and you’ll give a final confession –_

_these virtuous sins that you’ve numbered in seven_

_will fall beneath heaven’s weapons.’_

_The man laughed, a creaking, ancient thing_

_and he smiled, shining bright as the sun._

_‘We shall see what the future will bring –_

_which, among us two, is inevitably crowned king –_

_when all is said, and all is done –_

_let humanity decide who is right and who won.’”_

Selim finished the Xingxese poem, closing the book firmly, and Elicia couldn’t help but break into a giggle. 

“You’re _kidding._ You actually talked to the first Emperor of Xing – the dude who _founded an empire_ – and challenged him to a glorified word game? We’ve talked about this. Never play games with words against a _master_ of word games. _You will lose.”_

“Well I didn’t _know_ that –” Selim turned a bright red. “– and then he went and wrote a poem about it that’s absolutely _false,_ firstly he was the one who used virtue references and _I_ got the cool sin based stuff, secondly I wasn’t there as a _shadow!_ I was at least cool enough to appear in person!” 

“Yes, Selim, you’re _unbelievably_ cool. The very coolest.” Elicia snorted, curling into the super comfy chair they’d put into Selim’s room. It was often that she fell asleep there, even if she was technically _supposed_ to sleep in the guest room. “Besides, that king was stupid. When you’ve got a dream – no, an _ambition_ – you chase it with everything you have. If it meant I could make my ambition reality, I would trade anything.” 

“You have an ambition?” 

“Of course I do!” Elicia smiled. “Everybody with sense _does.”_

“So what is it, then? What is the wish for which you’d trade your soul?” Selim asked, genuinely curious. 

“Mn...I think I’ll keep that a secret, for now. If I tell you, I don’t think it’ll ever come true. Call me crazy, but at heart I think I’m still a superstitious little girl!” 

“I suppose. But I don’t think a childish little girl would have been talking about her ambitions, so maybe you’re somewhere between. Hold onto that if you can. Grip who you are tightly to your chest, and never let go. No matter where you go, or what happens, that’s the _one_ thing that nobody can ever take away from you.” 

“I don’t know if I agree with that,” Elicia curled around a pillow, pulling her blanket closer. “People can take anything – can take _everything_ – if you’re not careful. It’s important to keep your cards close to your chest and your eye on the board, or else you could accidentally gamble your life away.” 

“Elicia…”

“Chess is fun, but sometimes there are more childish games I wish I could be playing.” Elicia murmured, her expression falling for an instant. “Still, I have to hold on! As long as I can, in the hope that maybe, someday, things can get better. It may be a selfish dream, but there’s nothing wrong with holding onto it with all I have!” 

“No, there’s nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that at all.” 

***

_To My Dear Friend Solaris –_

_I’m writing to you this evening with a confession. I know who you are, Lust, and you are the sister of my dearest friend. I would not write to you revealing this unless I feared that the situation had grown dire._

_I must admit that I know the truth of the homunculi, the Promised Day, and the Philosopher’s Stone. Upon discovering such, Selim and I attempted to hide all evidence, burning the library to the ground and praying that the fact I am a child would dissuade people from thinking I could possibly be a threat._

_I have reason to believe that not to be the case. Selim is yet unaware, but for the past day or so I have been followed by strange individuals. The way I read them is identical, but their face is different every time. I am running out of time, and the fate of my home is at risk._

_I have a request. It’s just one, and it’s small, but it’s mine._

_Selim said to hold who I am close to my chest, and never let go. I fear that I am not strong enough to do so. I am not a homunculus – I don’t have power, or immortality, or the trust of the being that would strike down the heavens if he had the chance._

_I’ll be frank. All I am, right now, is a butterfly flapping its wings. I have no power, no consequence, no defense._

_But even a butterfly flapping its wings can set off a hurricane. All it takes are the right conditions._

_The butterfly may not survive the storm, yet the storm rages on._

_All I have are words. To put a pen to paper is the greatest endeavor a person can pursue. Ambition is my nature and my folly, so thus such a pursuit is only natural._

_Words can incite war and peace, change minds and hearts, bring prosperity or ruin._

_My words are to incite a revolution. This butterfly aspires to steer the clouds on the horizon, if only the winds will listen to her plea._

_So, to my dear friend, if ever you have held any affection for me – in this, where naught matters save the pen and paper – where homunculus and human have called each other friend – I beg of you but one thing:_

_Believe in humanity, or strike me down where I stand. You cannot have both._

_I, for one, am a firm believer in meliorism. Somehow, after everything I’ve read, after everything I’ve seen, I still believe in humanity’s capacity for good._

_That isn’t to say I’m not horribly cynical or screwed up from the mess that’s been made of my childhood. But I’ve retained some innocence. I still, somehow, believe in people._

_And I still, somehow, believe in you._

_Yours –_

_Ornithoptera priamus_

Elicia signed the paper quietly, the candles strategically placed to block out shadows beginning to burn low. This was the guest room of the Bradley Estate that had effectively been rendered _her_ room, and Selim had given her enough lamps to ensure adequate privacy. Here, at least, she could be granted such without fear for her safety. 

Perhaps sending a letter such as this to Lust would throw a wrench in that. Regardless...Elicia had to take this gamble. 

Besides, Lust didn’t have the guts for it. Not with Wrath and Pride so nearby at all times. Envy was her greatest concern – Selim had sensed them earlier that afternoon, when Elicia had informed him of Edward and Alphonse, but Elicia had known for at least a day or so. Since she’d first made contact with Fullmetal, really. 

They weren’t a danger yet. They were merely observing. Elicia was, after all, notable enough that her death would spark some attention – many members of high society had met her at the Bradley Estate at some point or another, and her father was head of investigations. To kill her would be something small, but the ripples could be devastating. 

And, once more, Selim and Mr. Bradley would not stand for it. So the likelihood was mere observation until she had proven herself a threat. 

Elicia was many things, least of all a threat. A strategist? Perhaps. A cryptologist? Certainly. A little girl? More so than _anything._

Everyone knew, after all, that little girls always hit that age where they only had _one_ thing on the mind –

– revolution. 

Selim had spent time preparing, but there was only so much he could do. 

It was Elicia’s turn to go to war. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today’s fun chunk of code is brought to you by: potential foreshadowing! is that the direction the plot is going? is it clever misdirection?? who knows! i certainly don’t. 
> 
> “H’twxf, rc’b odwwh. Nenahkxmh anvnvknab jkxdc cqn zdnnw jwm cqn trwp. Kdc nenahkxmh,” Nurlrj bcanclqnm xdc cqn fxam jb bqn kaxtn rwcx j parw. Bqn yrltnm dwmna xwn xo qna wjrub jb bqn lxwcrwdnm cx majfu, “nenahkxmh oxapncb cqn yjfwb. Jwm yjfwb jan ldarxdb. Cqnh’an j bcajcnprl wnlnbbrch, dbdjuuh bjlarorlnm, jwm cqn vxbc lxvvxw ynjln xw cqn kxjam. Kdc yjfwb, hxd bnn, jan bxvn xo cqn vxbc mjwpnaxdb yrnlnb xdc cqnan – knljdbn fqnw cqnh laxbb cqn kxjam,” qna ngyanbbrxw bqrocnm cx bxvncqrwp brpwrorljwcuh vxan vnwjlrwp “cqnh ljw cdaw rwcx zdnnwb.”


End file.
